Rocket shell construction



March 1966 H. K. STADLER ETAL 3,238,875

ROCKET SHELL CONSTRUCTION Filed April 26, 1965 INVENTORS HANS K. STADLERHEINZ GAWLICK RUDOLF STAHLMANN QM: Rim

fiTORNEYS. j

United States Patent 3,238,875 RGCKET SHELL CONSTRUCTIGN Hans K.Stadler, Nurnberg, and Heinz Gawlick and Rudolf Stahlmann, Furth,Bavaria, Germany, assignors to Dynamit Nobel Aktiengesellschaft,Troisdorf, Bezirk- Cologne, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Apr.26, 1963, Ser. No. 275,866 Claims priority, application Germany, Apr.27, 1962, D 38,735 8 Claims. (Cl. 102-50) This invention relates torocket shell construction and has as its object to provide an improvedconstruction of rocket shell guiding services, namely, the stabilizingfins and the manner in which the stabilizing fins are mounted on therocket shell.

In the construction of rocket shells, a problem exists with respect tothe providing of stabilization fins. The stabilization fins must fulfillthe required aerodynamic requirements and at the same time should be ofreasonable cost, and of suitable strength and resistance to withstandoperating conditions. This problem is of particular significance whichit is desired to use stabilizing fins of plastic material. There is atpresent an effort to provide a rocket shell of plastic materialoutfitted with plastic stabilizing fins, and the problem of suitablestabilizing fins is especially significant with respect to suchconstruction.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a rocket shellconstruction particularly as it relates to the stabilizing fins and themounting thereof, which is of a nature to meet the condition referred toabove.

According to the invention, a rocket shell comprises an elongated. bodyhaving a forward end portion and a rear end portion, a closure for therear end portion, a stabilizer fin assembly mounted on the rear endportion, and means securing the stabilizer fin suspension on the bodyrear end portion. The stabilizer fin assembly includes a plurality ofstabilizer fins joined at their base to a stabilizer fin sleeve, and thestabilizer fins extend radially outwardly from the sleeve. The sleeve ispositioned about the body rear end portion, and the meansinterconnecting the stabilizer fin assembly and the body rear endportion comprises key means disposed circumferentially about the bodyrear end portion and which interconnects the stabilizer fin assemblysleeve and the body rear end portion in a manner to fixedly secure thestabilizer fin assembly on the body rear end. portion to prevent axialand rotational movement of the stabilizer fin assembly on the body rearend portion.

The construction provided by the invention has particular application inrespect to training rockets, and hence, in rocket shell utilizing theconstruction of the invention there can be radial openings through bodyportion forward of the stabilizer fin assembly and adjacent thereto.

In one form of the invention, the key means interconnecting thestabilizer fin assembly and the body rear end portion can be a splineand integral with either the sleeve or the body rear end portion, thespline extending circumferentially about the part that it is integralwith. The part not provided with a spline is then provided with acircumferentially extending groove for receipt of the spline. In thespline construction, the spline fits tightly in the groove providedthere-for and secures the stabilizer fin assembly in a fixed position sothat it is axially fixed and is restrained against rotation about thebody portion of the shell. The stabilizer fin assembly is positioned onthe shell body rear end portion by forcing the pin assembly and shelltogether by moving these parts axially with respect to each other sothat the part bearing the groove passes over the spline to the extentthat the spline and groove come to opposed relation, whereupon thespline snaps into the groove. One of the parts, either the stabilizerfin assembly or the shell rear end portion, is of material which isresiliently yieldable to the extent that the parts can be assembled inthe manner described.

In a preferred construction, the spline is integral with the rear endportion of the shell body.

An alternative manner of mounting the stabilizer fin assembly on theshell by a key interconnection, is to provide each, the stabilizer finassembly and the body rear end portion, with a circumferentiallyextending groove, these two grooves being in communication with thestabilizer fin assembly in the normal mounted position. A split ringthen serves as the key interconnecting means, the split ring beingpositioned in the grooves.

The invention is further described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a portion of a rocket shell accordingto the invention;

FIG. 2 is the same as FIG. 1, except that a part of the rocket shell isshown in cross-section, along line 11-11 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view, in cross-section, taken along line IIIIII in FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is a view of a alternative construction and corresponds with FIG.2; and

FIG. 5 is a plan, cross-section, view taken along line VV in FIG. 4.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1-FIG. 3, the rocket shell comprises abody having a forward end portion 1 and a rear end portion 11. Astabilizer fin assembly is made up of the stabilizer fins 6 which aresecured at their base to the sleeve 7. Forward of the stabilizer finassembly there are radially extending openings 12, and a cup 3 having anexhaust opening 4 is mounted on the rear edge portion of the shell body.This cup is fixedly secured in place by any suitable means such as atight threaded connection.

The mounting of the stabilizer fin assembly on the shell body rear endportion 11 can be best seen in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. The body rear endportion is provided with integrally formed radially outwardly extendingsplines 8; the sleeve 7 of the stabilizer fin assembly is provided withcircumferentially extending grooves 8 which receive the splines 9. Thesplines 9 fit tightly in the grooves 8 so that the stabilizer finassembly is prevented from moving axially with respect to the bodyportion, and, further, is prevented from rotating on the body portion.Either the stabilizer fin assembly or the rear end. portion of the shellis of such material that it is resiliently yieldable so that thestabilizer fin assembly can be positioned on the rocket shell by forcingthe stabilizer fin assembly axially over the splines 9. To facilitatesuch assembly, the inner forward circumferential edge of the stabilizerfin assembly sleeve 7 is provided with a guide surface 10 so that uponsliding the stabilizer fin assembly shell 7 over the rear edge portionof the rocket shell to the extent that the forward portion of the shell7 engages the rearrnost spline 8, the shell presents an inclined surfaceto the engaged spline, whereupon, when force is applied, the shell canbe made to rise up over the spline. The shell can then be forced on tothe extent that the slots 8 are in opposed relation to the splines 9,and the splines 9 then snap into the slots 8.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the key means interconnecting thestabilizer fin assembly and the rocket shell comprises split rings.Thus, each of the stabilizer fin assembly sleeve 7 and the body rear endportion 1 1 are provided with grooves 14, and the body rear end portion11 is provided with grooves 15. With the stabilizer fin assembly in itsnormal position mounted on the rocket shell, these grooves are inopposed and communicating relation. A split ring .16 is disposed in eachpair of opposed, communicating grooves and serves to fixedly positionthe stabilizer fin assembly on the body rear end portion in the mannerpreviously described. To position the stabilizer fin assembly on therocket shell, in this embodiment, the split ring is positioned in thegrooves on the body rear end portion 11 and is compressed to reduce itsdiameter, as is permitted by the split in the split ring, and thestabilizer fin assembly shell 7 is then slid over the split rings to theextent that the grooves 14 in the shell 7 come to opposed relation withthe split rings, whereupon the split rings snap into place bridging thegrooves in the shell rear end portion and in the stabilizer fin sleeve7, providing a key connection between these parts.

The stabilizer fin assembly can be, and preferably is, a one piecestructure formed of non-combustible plastic. The shell or the shell rearend portion can be of similar material. Where the interconnecting keymeans for the stabilizer fin assembly and shell rear end portion is aspline integral with one of these parts, the spline can be of thematerial of the part with which it is integral. Where a split ring isused, the split ring can be of plastic or of a suitable metal.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, theseembodiments are merely representative and do not define the limits ofthe invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A rocket shell comprising:

(a) an elongated body portion having a forward end portion and a rearend portion;

(b) a closure for the rear end portion;

(c) a stabilizer fin assembly mounted on the rear end portion, saidstabilizer fin assembly including a plurality of stabilizer fins joinedat their base to a stabilizer fin sleeve and extending radiallyoutwardly from the stabilizer fin sleeve;

(d) said sleeve being positioned about the body rear end portion;

(e) key means disposed circumferentially about the body rear end portioninterconnecting the stabilizer fin assembly sleeve and the body rear endportion and fixedly securing the stabilizer fin assembly on the bodyrear end portion, to prevent axial and rotational movement of thestabilizer fin assembly on the body rear end portion;

(f) said key means comprising a spline integral with one of saidstabilizer fin sleeve and the body rear end portion, the other of saidstabilizer fin sleeve and body end portion having a circumferentiallyextending slot receiving the spline and providing said interconnectionof the stabilizer fin assembly sleeve and the body rear end portion; and

(g) at least one of said stabilizer fin sleeve and said body rear endportion being resiliently yieldable permitting mounting of thestabilizer fin sleeve on the body rear end portion with said splineengaged as aforesaid by forcing the stabilizer fin sleeve axially of thebody rear end portion to the extent that the spline becomes engaged inthe circumferential slot as aforesaid.

2. A rocket shell according to claim 1, said rocket shell being atraining shell having means defining radially extending openings throughthe rocket shell, forward of the stabilizer fin assembly and adjacentthereto.

3. A rocket shell according to claim 1, said closure for the rocketshell rear end portion being a cup, said cup receiving a rear edgeportion of the body member and being fixedly mounted on the body member.

4. A rocket shell according to claim 1, the said spline being integralwith the rear end portion.

5. A rocket shell according to claim 1, the stabilizer fin assemblybeing formed of non-combustible plastic, the stabilizer fin beingintegral with the stabilizer fin sleeve.

6. A rocket shell according to claim 5, said rocket body rear endportion being of non-combustible plastic.

7. A rocket shell comprising:

(a) an elongated body portion having a forward end portion and a rearend portion;

(b) a closure for the rear end portion;

(0) a stabilizer fin assembly mounted on the rear end portion, saidstabilizer fin assembly including a plurality of stabilizer fins joinedat their base to a stabilizer fin sleeve and extending radiallyoutwardly from the stabilizer fin sleeve;

((1) said sleeve being positioned about the body rear end portion;

(e) key means disposed circumferentially about the body rear end portioninterconnecting the stabilizer fin assembly sleeve and the body rear endportion and fixedly securing the stabilizer fin assembly on the bodyrear end portion, to prevent axial and rotational movement of thestabilizer fin assembly on the body rear end portion;

(f) at least one pair of opposed and communicating slots, one of saidslots being in the body rear end portion and the other of said slotsbeing in the stabilizer fin sleeve, said slots being circumferential;

(g) said key means comprising split rings compressed in said slots; and

(h) at least one of said stabilizer fin sleeve and said body rear endportion being resiliently yieldable permitting mounting of thestabilizer fin sleeve on the body rear end portion with said splineengaged as aforesaid by forcing the stabilizer fin sleeve axially of thebody rear end portion to the extent that the spline becomes engaged inthe circumferential slot as aforesaid.

8. A rocket shell according to claim 7, said rocket shell being atraining shell having means defining radially extending openings throughthe rocket shell, forward of the stabilizer fin assembly and adjacentthereto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,257,126 2/1918Schneider 10250 2,246,429 6/ 1941 Brandt 102-5O X 2,787,481 4/1957Buschow et a1. 285-382.4 X 2,886,355 5/1959 WurZel 285321 2,890,073 6/1959 Thomas.

2,899,215 8/1959 Ardito 285-321 2,901,973 9/1959 Donner 102---49 X3,018,547 1/1962 Marskell 285-382.4 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,061,958 12/1953 France 10250 1,077,083 4/ 1954 Francel0250 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL FEINBERG, Examiner.

1. A ROCKET SHELL COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED BODY PORTION HAVING AFORWARD END PORTION AND A REAR END PORTION; (B) A CLOSURE FOR THE REAREND PORTION; (C) A STABILIZER FIN ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON THE REAR ENDPORTION, SAID STABILIZER FIN ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A PLURALITY OFSTABILIZER FINS JOINED AT THEIR BASE TO A STABILIZER FIN SLEEVE ANDEXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE STABILIZER FIN SLEEVE; (D) SAIDSLEEVE BEING POSITIONED ABOUT THE BODY REAR END PORTION; (E) KEY MEANSDISPOSED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ABOUT THE BODY REAR END PORTIONINTERCONNECTING THE STABILIZER FIN ASSEMBLY SLEEVE AND THE BODY REAR ENDPORTION AND FIXEDLY SECURING THE STABILIZER FIN ASSEMBLY ON THE BODYREAR END PORTION, TO PREVENT AXIAL AND ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF THESTABILIZER FIN ASSEMBLY ON THE BODY REAR END PORTION; (F) SAID KEY MEANSCOMPRISING A SPLINE INTEGRAL WITH ONE OF SAID STABILIZER FIN SLEEVE ANDTHE BODY REAR END PORTION, THE OTHER OF SAID STABILIZER FIN SLEEVE ANDBODY END PORTION HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING SLOT RECEIVING THESPLINE AND PROVIDING SAID INTERCONNECTION OF THE STABILIZER FIN ASSEMBLYSLEEVE AND THE BODY REAR END PORTION; AND (G) AT LEAST ONE OF SAIDSTABILIZER FIN SLEEVE AND SAID BODY REAR END PORTION BEING RESILIENTLYYIELDABLE PERMITTING MOUNTING OF THE STABILIZER FIN SLEEVE ON THE BODYREAR END PORTION WITH SAID SPLINE ENGAGED AS AFORESAID BY FORCING THESTABILIZER FIN SLEEVE AXIALLY OF THE BODY REAR END PORTION TO THE EXTENTTHAT THE SPLINE BECOMES ENGAGED IN THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL SLOT ASAFORESAID.